I just sent an email to the BOD expressing these same concerns, supporting
the name change but not the age change.
Rick Brown
BM / D Sports Racer // F125
Subject: First Gear replaces Speed Freakz
> From the SCCA news release that came out after the Convention....
>
> "As a part of the new campaign, the SCCA announced its new youth-oriented
> program called "First Gear," which replaces the current Speed Freakz
> program. The new program offers a discounted membership and benefits for
> individuals 21 and under."
>
> In discussion on this on the Wheel to Wheel list, I posted the following:
>
> >>>The one aspect I disagree with is reducing the age to 21 and under. I
> thought the original age of 25 and under was brilliant. One group we
really
> should reach to is the college student, and he is still in college past
age
> 21. College students are a demographic which can be expected to be
upscale,
> will rank higher on the income scales and be more able to devote resources
> to toys like our cars -- but at the time of actually being a college
student
> still tends to be impoverished and in debt. By making SCCA financially
> available through his college years, we would be more likely to retain the
> member than if we tell him he suddenly has to pay 2-3 times as much for
his
> membership about his junior year.
>
> >>>We're not just after kids, we're after YOUNG people with this program.
> Young
> people for whom $65 or more in dues is more than they can justify. And
> people of that age group who are not in college are those working for
> minimum wage in entry-level jobs and equally poor. Nice thing about the
age
> 25 cutoff, it matches a time when incomes typically increase (the
> entry-level joe has enough time in to be promoted; the college kid
> graduates, perhaps with a masters, and begins earning a living, etc.).
>
> Most responses were quite positive. The only caveat anyone replied with I
> agree with -- if you want a competition license (club racing, pro rally,
> etc.) you should be a full member. Otherwise, First Gear should be able to
> do anything else -- hold a worker license, do Solo II up to and including
> Natiolnals, ditto road rally, etc.
>
> I sent my W2W response also as a note to the Board of Directors
> (bod@scca.com). Got a nice reply from Area 1's Kathy Barnes, who did not
> just jump in and agree, but did enable the dialogue -- also important.
>
> Thought this a good Team.Net topic also, since this side of the club is
> often the entry conduit to younger potential members.
>
> --Rocky Entriken
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|